India and France have been increasing their strategic, military, and economic cooperation in recent years, despite historical differences and shared concerns about U.S. policies. Both nations have traditionally pursued independent national security strategies and have avoided forming formal alliances. France, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has maintained control over its nuclear policy and has extended its nuclear protection to other European countries. India, a nuclear-armed state, has similarly followed an independent foreign policy and has not joined any formal alliances. The relationship between France and India took a significant step forward in 1998 when India conducted nuclear tests and the U.S. imposed sanctions, while France did not. Since then, the two countries have strengthened their ties in technology, trade, and defense. They have conducted joint military exercises, including naval drills since 2001, air force exercises since 2003, and army exercises since 2011. India has also participated in French-led multinational military exercises and has become a major buyer of French military equipment. Notably, India purchased 36 Rafale fighter jets in 2016, with additional orders for 26 Rafale-M aircraft for its carriers in 2025 and 114 more Rafale fighters in 2026. India also acquired the design for six Scorpene submarines from France, built them domestically, and recently ordered three more submarines from the French company. In 2023, the French Directorate General of Armaments and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization signed an agreement to expand cooperation in areas such as aircraft, drones, advanced materials, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and underwater technology. This agreement aligns with a long-term strategic plan known as Horizon 2047. After meetings between French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, discussions began on India's potential involvement in the French Future Combat Air System, which aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter jet. Both countries have had complex relationships with the U.S. and share concerns about American policies. France has faced threats of U.S. tariffs, such as a 100 percent tax on French wine if it did not abandon a digital services tax on American tech companies. India, too, faces potential U.S. tariffs, like the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia Act, which would impose high tariffs on major importers of Russian oil, including India. France lost a submarine contract to Australia due to the AUKUS agreement, which offered a British-American alternative to Australia’s need for new submarines. India has also been critical of the U.S. reliance on Pakistan as a mediator in negotiations with Iran. While both countries are trying to balance their relationships and prepare for future U.S. policies, experts suggest that France’s nuclear protection should support, not replace, the American deterrent, and that India should collaborate with, rather than isolate itself from, U.S. efforts to counter China.